If you don’t know it, the image in front of the altar is the image of Divine Mercy. And there’s only five words in the picture, and that’s “Jesus, I Trust in you.”
And so the theme of the day is trust. Trusting in God’s mercy in the past, the present, and the future.
When my daughter was young, I was in a swimming pool once, arms stretched out, telling her, “Jump—I’ve got you.”
And you could see the hesitation. That look of wanting to come… but not quite ready.
And I kept saying, “Trust me. I’ve got you.” But she didn’t move. Not because I wasn’t there. Not because I wouldn’t catch her.
But because she hadn’t decided to trust.
Finally—she jumped.
That moment — that decision to let go and jump — is what trust looks like.
And that’s exactly where the Gospel places us today.
Because on that first Easter night, the Apostles aren’t standing boldly in faith.
They’re hiding. Behind locked doors. Afraid.
They believe in Jesus. But they haven’t yet learned to trust Him.
So what does Jesus do? He comes to them anyway.
He enters into their fear… their uncertainty…their locked door… and He doesn’t rebuke them. He doesn’t shame them.
He simply says: “Peace be with you.” And He shows them His wounds.
Because trust isn’t built on vague ideas or wishful thinking.
Our trust as Christians is built on what Christ’s already done.
And we know we can trust him… because He’s already given everything for us.
And then there’s Thomas. Poor Doubting Thomas. We tend to be hard on him, but if we’re honest… he’s us.
As he said, “I will not believe unless I see.”
In other words: “I will trust… when I have proof.” Can’t we all relate to that?
But Jesus meets him right where he is and invites him deeper:
“Put your finger here.”
And Thomas responds by saying: “My Lord and my God,” one of the greatest declarations of faith in Scripture.
That’s trust.
Not because everything made sense… but because Thomas had encountered the mercy of Christ.
So looking at the readings together, they show us what trust looks like.
In the First Reading from Acts, we see the early Church living in radical trust.
“They devoted themselves… they shared everything… they ate together with gladness…”
They live like that because they trusted.
They trusted that God would provide.
They trusted that nothing they gave up would be lost.
They trusted that living lives in Christ was enough.
Then St. Peter tells us in the Second Reading:
“You may have to suffer… although you have not seen Him, you love Him…”
There it is again. Trusting without seeing.
And Peter tells us that this trust leads to something real — an inheritance kept in heaven for us. Not a vague hope.
A promise. A future. We’re meant to receive what has been prepared for us as sons and daughters of the Father.
And here’s where it connects back to that image.
Because God the Father isn’t distant. He’s like the father in that pool.
Arms open. Saying, “Come to me. Trust me. I’ve got you.”
And we receive that inheritance — to the degree we become like the Son… who trusted the Father completely, even to the Cross… and has now received His reward.
You see, when we trust God, it transforms us.
And this is exactly what Divine Mercy is all about.
God’s mercy is greater than anything we’ve done — and we’re called to trust in that mercy completely .
Not a little. Not when it’s easy. But completely.
Today is Divine Mercy Sunday, which comes from the private revelations of St. Faustina Kwalska. She claimed that Jesus spoke to her about His mercy and taught her what we now call the Divine Mercy Chaplet. She recorded these experiences, and over time, the Church carefully studied them.
This devotion comes from what the Church calls private revelation.
Because it isn’t part of the public revelation given in Scripture and Tradition, we aren’t required to believe it in the same way we believe the Gospel.
But the Church, after careful discernment, approved it… encouraged it… and gave it to the whole world.
Why?
Because the message isn’t new. It’s simply a reminder of what has always been true:
That God is rich in mercy. That Christ gave His life for us. And we’re called to trust Him.
As we’re reminded in this devotion, even the greatest sinner has a right to God’s mercy when they turn to Him with trust.
So what does that trust look like?
First, it means we trust in Jesus’ sacrifice in the past.
The Cross isn’t just something that happened—it’s the proof of God’s mercy.
Every time we pray, “For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world,” we’re placing our trust in what He has already done .
Second, it means we trust in His blessings in the present.
Just like in the early Church, God’s at work right now.
In your life. In your struggles. In your family.
Even in the things you don’t understand.
Divine Mercy isn’t just a past event—it’s something being poured out into your life today.
And thirdly, it means we trust in His promises for the future. That inheritance St. Peter speaks of.
Heaven.
A place where we will receive what has been prepared for us from the beginning.
But here’s where it has real meaning living day-to-day.
Because if we truly trust in God’s mercy… then we begin to live differently.
We stop trying to control everything. We stop holding onto grudges.
We stop living in fear.
And we begin to show mercy ourselves—in our actions, our words, and our prayers. Because when you trust that God is merciful… you become merciful.
So here’s the question.
Where in your life is God standing with His arms open… saying, “Trust Me”? Where are you still standing at the edge… holding back… unsure?
Because Divine Mercy isn’t just about knowing that He’s there.
It’s about taking the step and letting go.
I still remember that moment in the pool. Arms open. Waiting.
And the hesitation before the jump.
And the truth is—nothing changed about me at that moment.
I was already there. I was already ready to catch.
The only thing that changed… was trust.
And that’s where God meets us today.
Not when we have everything figured out. Not when we feel completely ready.
So whatever you’re holding onto… whatever you’re afraid to surrender…
This is the moment. Step forward. Let go.
And fall — not into uncertainty — but into the mercy of Christ.
Jesus, I trust in You.